Cuba's Robles breaks men's 110m hurdles world record - Beijing2008 - Sport Cuba's Robles breaks men's 110m hurdles world record Dayron Robles, of Cuba, celebrates after setting a new 110 m hurdles world record in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Photo: AP June 13, 2008 - 9:21AM Cuba's Dayron Robles broke the world 110m hurdles record by clocking 12.87sec at the IAAF Grand Prix meeting here today. Robles beat the previous record of 12.88sec set by China's Olympic champion Liu Xiang on July 11, 2006 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Liu could only finish in fourth place here. "What a time! I wasn't expecting that," said Robles. "I'm very happy. I don't know if I can beat Liu Xiang in Beijing.

But we'll see." The 21-year-old Cuban, a silver medallist over 60m hurdles at the world indoor championships in 2006, missed out on a medal at this year's event in Valencia in March when he pulled up, thinking Liu had made a false start. He has been targeting Welshman Colin Jackson's long-standing 60m indoor record of 7.30sec, running a 7.33sec this winter. He also set the world lead of 12.92sec last year. "When he ran 7.33sec indoors, I knew he was capable of beating both the indoor and outdoor records," said Robles' coach Santiago Antunez. "He was feeling great and I was expecting something magical. To beat a world record, you have to have a perfect race, almost faultless. It has been easy here." Roaring out of the blocks, Robles left the field for dead, double Olympic and world silver medallist Terrence Trammell of the United States coming in second at 13.21sec. "Everyone's surprised," said the American.

"Nobody was expecting such a race." AFP Dayron Robles Dayron Robles Dayron Robles, Cuba, Hurdles Cubans can't contain their excitement about hurdler Dayron Robles. The 21-year-old from Guantanamera (prepare to hear the catchy song about his home town over and over) broke the 110-meter hurdles world record June 12 with a 12.87-second shocker at a meet in the Czech Republic. The record was held by superstar hurdler Liu Xiang, considered one of China's best hopes for a gold medal in Beijing, and hurdles fans are already pumped about a Robles-Liu Olympic showdown. Robles fever is noteworthy on an island that is usually more preoccupied with the fortunes of its formidable baseball team. But if the hurdler bests Liu, he'd better get ready for U.S. television interviews. Robles, who runs wearing prescription glasses, says he's been practicing English with his girlfriend.

-- Manuel Roig-Franzia Dayron Robles | Profile | iaaf.org Dayron Robles 110 Metres Hurdles Progression - Outdoor 110m Hurdles (91.4cm) 110m Hurdles (91.4cm) Progression - Outdoor Progression - Indoor 50 Metres Hurdles Progression - Indoor 60 Metres Hurdles 60 Metres Hurdles Progression - Indoor Honours - 60 Metres Hurdles Valencia (Velódromo Luis Puig), ESP 08 MAR 2008 Sherbrooke 11 JUL 2003 Focus on Athletes biographies are produced by the IAAF Communications Dept, and not by the IAAF Statistics and Documentation Division. If you have any enquiries concerning the information, please use the Contact IAAF page , selecting ‘Focus on Athletes Biographies’ in the drop down menu of contact area options.

Updated 28 February 2008 Dayron ROBLES, Cuba (110m hurdles) Born 19 November 1986 Guantánamo, Cuba 1.92m 80kg Coach: Santiago Antúnez Dayron Robles comes from an athletics background. His uncle, Eulogio Robles, was a member of the Cuba national team in the 1970s and ran 51.76 for the 400m hurdles. Also involved in sports was his mother, Regla Mercy, a housewife, who played volleyball. His father Gualberto, who passed away in 1998, was a musician and he and a cousin, Henry Murray, who died in 2006, are the main motivation for him every time he steps on a track. Robles took up athletics at the age of 10 and, as is usual in Cuba, he competed in various disciplines. Trainers had realised his potential for the hurdles, but he preferred the high jump, and did not start to focus on the hurdles until the age of 14, making great progress since.

After winning at the National Youth Games, Robles was promoted to the national junior team in 2002. He made his international debut when he was sixth at the 2003 World Youth Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada. He kept improving and gave Cuba its only medal at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Grosseto, Italy, where he finished second in the 110m hurdles. Robles finished his junior career on a high note in 2005, breaking the 33-year old Central American and Caribbean junior record twice as he ran 13.47 and 13.46, the latter to win the Pan American junior title in Windsor, Canada. Earlier that month he had been runner-up to his countryman, Yoel Hernandez, at the CAC Senior Championships, in Nassau, and later reached the semi-finals at the IAAF World Championships, in Helsinki. 2006 saw his consecration on the international scene, and his start as a senior could not have been better. With no previous indoor experience, he claimed the silver medal at the World Indoor Championships, in Moscow.

He went on to win his first national senior title at the 3rd National Olympics and improved his personal best to 13.32 in Havana before starting his European tour, where he burst into the elite in his event. After three wins in Spain (13.28 in Alcalá de Henares), he posted a surprising 13.11 to finish second in Paris on his Golden League debut, ahead of France’s world champion Ladji Doucouré and China’s Olympic gold medallist Liu Xiang. He ran even faster with 13.04 to finish fourth in the historic Lausanne race on July 11, in which Liu Xiang broke the world record. “I did not have a good start in that race, but the day was magic,” Robles said. “Everyone ran so fast. I am young and I already reached the elite level. Now I have to stay there”. Robles confirmed his new standing with a 13.08 win at the IAAF Grand Prix, in Madrid, before heading back to the other side of the Atlantic.

There he clinched his first international senior title when winning at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Cartagena, Colombia, clocking 13.12 to break the Games record (13.27) of his countryman and 2000 Olympic champion, Anier Garcia. With eight races this year clocking 13.20 or faster, Robles propelled himself from the 28th at the start of the season to the first place in the IAAF World Rankings for his event on 11 September 2006. Just a week before the World Cup, Robles equaled Garcia’s national record of 13.00 to finish second to Liu Xiang at the World Athletics Final, in Stuttgart, becoming the 13th fastest hurdler in history. “I came to Stuttgart to do my best and I did,” Robles said. “If I had not hit the last hurdle, I could have dipped under 13 seconds. I will achieve that. It is just a matter of time.” Being the youngest member of the Americas team for the World Cup, he ended his season on a high note with third place in Athens.

In 2007, Robles confirmed his progress and posted the fastest time over 60m hurdles in three years (7.38), just 0.01 short of Garcia’s CAC indoor record. Outdoors, he achieved his first Golden League win, in Paris, and went on to claim the Pan American gold, in Rio de Janeiro, the second senior title in his short but already successful career. “It felt great to make my contribution to my country as we finished on top in the athletics competition and second in the overall medal table, behind the US and closely followed by Brazil“. The 20-year old also extended the winning streak of Cuban male sprint hurdlers at the Pan American Games as his compatriots, Garcia and Yuniel Hernandez, won in Winnipeg (1999) and Santo Domingo (2003). After a successful campaign, Robles could not live up to expectations as he finished fourth at the World Championships, in Osaka.

But he made up for the disappointment with the best race of his life, once again in Stuttgart, blazing to a superb 12.92 win at the World Athletics Final and erasing his compatriot and 2000 Olympic champion Anier Garcia’s seven-year old CAC record of 13.00. He ended his season with a convincing win over world and Olympic champion and world record holder Liu Xiang in the latter’s home town of Shanghai. Indoors in 2008, Robles has been dominant over the barriers. Having clocked eight of the 10 fastest times this winter, he first broke the CAC record in Stuttgart on February 2, before improving it to 7.33, the second fastest of all-time, six days later in Düsseldorf. That time is just 0.03 seconds off Colin Jackson’s world record of 7.30, which the Briton set in 1994. After such a superb campaign, he looks forward to winning his first global title at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia. Two weeks before the championships, he visited the southern Spanish city. “I wanted to know the track first-hand before the event,” Robles said.

“Obviously, after my runner-up place at the Moscow World Indoors two years ago my only target is the gold medal. I won’t be satisfied other than that. The title is more important than the world record which I feel capable of breaking.” Robles also commented about China’s reigning Olympic and World 110m hurdles champion Liu Xiang. “I only know that he’s competing in Valencia which means more rivalry and that’s good for me, no problem,” the Cuban said. “But I train every day to become the best athlete in the world so I don’t fear anyone, including Xiang.” He considers Santiago Antúnez, his coach, as a father and his teammates in the athletics squad are like brothers. “Anier Garcia is like a school for me,” Robles said. “He has been my reference since I got to the national team. I admire him both as an athlete as a person. We are good friends. Yoel and Yuniel Hernandez have also maintained Cuban hurdling on top.

We are heirs of a successful tradition, coming from the times of Alejandro Casañas, Emilio Valle, Erick Batte and before.” One of his best friends in the team is 2007 triple jump world champion Yargelis Savigne. They both come from the same roots in the easternmost province of Guantanamo. Off the track, Robles loves to party, listen to music and dance. He has a special preference for reggae and rap. After taking a physical conditioning course, he started his sport and physical education studies at the Manuel Fajardo University of Sports and Physical Education. Personal Bests 110m hurdles: 12.92 (2006), 60m hurdles: 7.33 (2008) Yearly Progression 2002 - 15.01; 2003 - 14.28; 2004 - 13.75; 2005 - 13.46; 2006 - 13.00; 2007 - 12.92.

Indoors 2006 - 7.46; 2007 - 7.38; 2008 - 7.33 Career Highlights 2003 6th World Youth Championships 2004 2nd World Junior Championships 2005 2nd Central American and Caribbean Championships 2005 1st Pan American Junior Championships 2006 2nd World Indoor Championships 2006 1st Central American and Caribbean Games 2006 2nd World Athletics Final 2006 3rd World Cup 2007 1st Pan American Games 2007 4th World Championships Cuba's Robles breaks men's 110m hurdles world record Cuba's Robles breaks men's 110m hurdles world record (Agencies) Updated: 2008-06-13 07:06 OSTRAVA, Czech Republic - Cuba's Dayron Robles broke the world 110m hurdles record by clocking 12.87sec at the IAAF Grand Prix meeting here on Thursday.

Cuba's Dayron Robles poses as he celebrates his 110-metres hurdles world record during the Golden Spike World Athletics Tour meeting in Ostrava June 12, 2008. [Agencies] Robles beat the previous record of 12.88sec set by China's Olympic champion Liu Xiang on July 11, 2006 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Liu could only finish in fourth place here. "What a time! I wasn't expecting that," said Robles. "I'm very happy. I don't know if I can beat Liu Xiang in Beijing. But we'll see." The 21-year-old Cuban, a silver medallist over 60m hurdles at the world indoor championships in 2006, missed out on a medal at this year's event in Valencia in March when he pulled up, thinking Liu had made a false start. He has been targeting Welshman Colin Jackson's long-standing 60m indoor record of 7.30sec, running a 7.33sec this winter. He also set the world lead of 12.92sec last year.

"When he ran 7.33sec indoors, I knew he was capable of beating both the indoor and outdoor records," said Robles' coach Santiago Antunez. "He was feeling great and I was expecting something magical. To beat a world record, you have to have a perfect race, almost faultless. It has been easy here." Roaring out of the blocks, Robles left the field for dead, double Olympic and world silver medallist Terrence Trammell of the United States coming in second at 13.21sec. "Everyone's surprised," said the American. "Nobody was expecting such a race." Cuba's Robles breaks 110m hurdles world record - France 24 Cuba's Robles breaks 110m hurdles world record print Latest update : 2008-06-13 Dayron Robles beat the previous 110m hurdles record of Chinese runner Liu Xiang at the Ostrava grand prix, in the Czech Republic. The 21-year old Cuban has set seven of the eight fastest indoor times this year.

Cuba's Dayron Robles broke the world 110m hurdles record by clocking 12.87sec at the IAAF Grand Prix meeting here on Thursday. Robles beat the previous record of 12.88sec set by China's Olympic champion Liu Xiang on July 11, 2006 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Liu could only finish in fourth place here. "What a time! I wasn't expecting that," said Robles. "I'm very happy. I don't know if I can beat Liu Xiang in Beijing. But we'll see." The 21-year-old Cuban, a silver medallist over 60m hurdles at the world indoor championships in 2006, missed out on a medal at this year's event in Valencia in March when he pulled up, thinking Liu had made a false start. He has been targeting Welshman Colin Jackson's long-standing 60m indoor record of 7.30sec, running a 7.33sec this winter. He also set the world lead of 12.92sec last year.

"When he ran 7.33sec indoors, I knew he was capable of beating both the indoor and outdoor records," said Robles' coach Santiago Antunez. "He was feeling great and I was expecting something magical. To beat a world record, you have to have a perfect race, almost faultless. It has been easy here." Roaring out of the blocks, Robles left the field for dead, double Olympic and world silver medallist Terrence Trammell of the United States coming in second at 13.21sec. "Everyone's surprised," said the American. "Nobody was expecting such a race." Date created : 2008-06-12 BBC SPORT | Olympics | Athletics | Robles breaks 110m hurdles record Robles breaks 110m hurdles record Robles has set seven of the eight fastest indoor times this year Cuba's Dayron Robles broke the 110m hurdles world record to lay down his credentials for the Olympic title. The 21-year-old clocked 12.87 seconds at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava to eclipse Olympic champion Liu Xiang's previous mark by 0.01secs.

"It is such a good time. Wow, I did not expect that," said Robles, whose previous best was 12.92 secs. World 100m record holder Usain Bolt won the 200m in 19.83 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year. In his first race since beating the 100m record, Bolt - yet to decide whether he will double up at the Olympics - ran his second fastest time over 200m, short of his best of 19.75secs set last year. "It's my first 200 of the year, and I'm very happy with my time," said Bolt, who will next run at the Jamaican national championships from 27-29 June. 606: DEBATE Robles has thrown down the gauntlet to Liu in the best possible style BBC Sport's Peter Scrivener Robles is the second Cuban athlete to hold the 110m hurdles record, compatriot Alejandro Casaï¿½as holding it between 1977 and 1979.

The scoreboard clock read 12.88, Xiang's old record time, for nearly two minutes before being adjusted to the correct time. "When I saw the .87, I just went crazy," added Robles. "I can't explain if it was a perfect race, but I think I can run faster." Veteran American Terrence Trammell, a twice Olympic and world championships silver medallist, finished a distant second in 13.21. Xiang is under pressure to defend his Olympic crown on home soil in Beijing, but now has a major challenger on his hands. Robles has set seven of the eight fastest indoor times this year, his best of 7.33 secs approaching Welshman Colin Jackson's long-standing 60m indoor record of 7.30. "When he ran 7.33 indoors, I knew he was capable of beating both the indoor and outdoor records," said Robles' coach Santiago Antunez. "He was feeling great and I was expecting something magical. To beat a world record, you have to have a perfect race, almost faultless.

It has been easy here." Ohuruogu's time sees her ranked as the world number 12 over 400m Britain's world champion Christine Ohuruogu won her first 400m race of the year, clocking 51.06, while another Briton, Martyn Rooney, won the men's race in 45.32. "It was my first outdoor 400m this season so I am satisfied with my time," said Ohuruogu, 24. "It is going to be very hard to defend the position of world number one from the World Championships in Osaka at the Olympics - but I want to try it." Rooney's performance ensured he stayed at the top of the European men's 400m rankings and he is now focused on his goals for the season. "I want to be the number one in Europe and to reach the final at the Olympics," the 21-year-old said. But Jemma Simpson and Marilyn Okoro were ran out of the women's 800m, finishing fourth and eighth respectively.

Mo Farah, after briefly hitting the front early in his 5000m race, dropped off the pace finishing 17th in 13:25.01secs. The meeting opened with a world record in the women's One Hour Run. Dire Tune of Ethiopia covered 18,517m in 60 minutes, adding 177m to the previous record of 18,340 set by Kenyan Tegla Loroupe 10 years ago in Borgholzhausen, Germany. Six days after breaking the 5000m world record, Tirunesh Dibaba won the 10,000m in 31:03.37, a performance which should ensure her selection in the event for Ethiopia's Olympic team. Croatia's high jump world chanpion Blanka Vlasic had three attempts at a world record of 2.10m, but had to settle for 2.05m as she claimed her 27th consecutive win.

Elsewhere, world and Olympic 400m champion Jeremy Wariner won a rarely-run 300m race in 31.72 secs, well off the world best of 30.85 set by Michael Johnson in 2000. Bookmark with: Cuba's Robles Breaks World Record in the 110-Meter Hurdles Cuba's Robles Breaks World Record in the 110-Meter Hurdles TOOLBOX Reprints Friday, June 13, 2008 Cuba's Dayron Robles broke the world record in the 110-meter hurdles yesterday, finishing 0.01 of a second ahead of the mark set two years ago by Liu Xiang, China's Olympic and world champion. The record at the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic, overshadowed Usain Bolt's victory in the 200 in 19.83. That was the best time in the world this season in what was the Jamaican's first appearance this year in his favorite event. He was a half-second shy of what he needed to set world records in consecutive meets.

Bolt set the 100-meter world record of 9.72 on May 31 in New York. He has yet to decide if he'll run the 100 or 200 meters at the Beijing Olympics. Robles was timed in 12.87 seconds, just ahead of the record by set by Liu in 2006 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Robles was followed by Terrence Trammell of the United States (13.21) and Sergey Demidyuk of Ukraine (13.42). Jeremy Wariner, the Olympic and world champion at 400 meters, won the 300 meters at 31.72. He was well outside the world record of 30.85 set in 2000 by his mentor, Michael Johnson. Robles finished fourth at the world outdoor championships last year and does not have a major international medal. Now, the 21-year-old hurdler from Guantanamo appears to be one of Cuba's best possibilities at the Olympics. "It is such a good time; I did not expect that. Wow!" Robles said. "Thanks, Ostrava!

I am very happy and satisfied. I do not know if I can beat Liu Xiang in Beijing now. But we will see." Robles won seven of eight races over 60 meters during the indoor season. He was seventh at the world indoor championships in March, when he was late out of the blocks because he thought there had been a false start.

-- From News Services Dayron Robles Trains in Havana - Sports - Juventud Rebelde - The newspaper of Cuban Youth The newspaper of Cuban Youth January 16, 2017 | 13:58:44 EST Contact Us Dayron Robles Trains in Havana The world record holder in the 110 meter hurdles, Dayron Robles, has just begun training in Havana for the upcoming Beijing 2008 Olympic Games By: Francisco Mastrascusa Email: depor@jrebelde.cip.cu 2008-07-30 | 15:38:36 EST Dayron Robles, world record holder in the 110 meter hurdles, hurdler Anay Tejeda and their coach, Santiago Antúnez, have just begun training in Havana for the upcoming Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The news is a surprise; although the return from Europe to Havana before the flight to the Olympic venue was in their plans.“I’m feeling good. I continue working, and seeing my family is something really stimulating from the psychological point of view,” said 21-year-old Dayron.

His great rival, Chinese Liu Xiang, won the gold medal in Athens precisely at the age of 21. Now, four years later, slim Dayron does not rule out the possibility of achieving a similar result in Beijing. “Winning in my first Olympic competition is a real possibility. I’m working to achieve the best results, which means to achieve victory. I always try to be in the finals; then, anything could happen,” he added. Dayron said that he has a “really good” friendship with the rest of his team. “We have had undreamed satisfactions, but the best is still to come,” he stated smiling. He said that he completely shares the medical opinion that states that he has still many abilities to exploit and gave an eloquent example. “When I established the world record, I was taken a picture beside the scoreboard that marked the 12.87 seconds. The last number was covered by my hand; it was not intentional, but that picture can tell many things, I only know that I can do it.” Dayron said that the reaction time at the starting line has never been a concern that keeps him awake.

“The most important is to do it hard and with strength because the rest is done along the way.” He said that the near competition demands lots of work to reach perfection and that he expects that everything will go well. The Cuban athlete described himself as both a sprinter and a technical runner over the hurdles. “I defined myself as a man that attacks the obstacles and loves to reach the greatest speed possible.” Prepared for much more Coach Santiago Antúnez was not surprised by the results achieved neither by Anay Tejeda when she beat the national record established twelve years ago in the 100 meter hurdles, nor by Dayron Robles when he established a new world record in Ostrava. “They both have gone through medical and psychological tests and physiotherapy. That’s why, good results are expected,” said Antúnez. In 2007 and 2008, we have seen how Dayron Robles has achieved excellent results during more than six months. Are we before a highly-gifted person? Antúnez was very precise and said “The criteria involving athletic training has changed a lot. We train for each specific competition.

For instance, when Dayron runs to reach a time of 13.35 seconds, he does not make any additional effort because he used 92 or 94 percent of his capacity.” He added that this way Dayron is not exposed to high intensities and they can look at the run from the technical point of view from different angles. Therefore, the matter is not to train for long periods of time to meet a single objective. Antúnez expressed admiration for the maturity and experience reached by his student who this year has defeated all top level hurdlers but Chinese Liu Xiang, completely devoted to train and train. “Training is not all. There are human aspects that must be taken into account and I’m convinced that this short return to his country and the possibility to meet his family will help to strengthen Dayron’s performance in Beijing,” his coach said.

Cartoonists Views Dayron Robles | Profile | iaaf.org Dayron Robles 110 Metres Hurdles Progression - Outdoor 110m Hurdles (91.4cm) 110m Hurdles (91.4cm) Progression - Outdoor Progression - Indoor 50 Metres Hurdles Progression - Indoor 60 Metres Hurdles 60 Metres Hurdles Progression - Indoor Honours - 60 Metres Hurdles Valencia (Velódromo Luis Puig), ESP 08 MAR 2008 Sherbrooke 11 JUL 2003 Focus on Athletes biographies are produced by the IAAF Communications Dept, and not by the IAAF Statistics and Documentation Division. If you have any enquiries concerning the information, please use the Contact IAAF page , selecting ‘Focus on Athletes Biographies’ in the drop down menu of contact area options.

Updated 28 February 2008 Dayron ROBLES, Cuba (110m hurdles) Born 19 November 1986 Guantánamo, Cuba 1.92m 80kg Coach: Santiago Antúnez Dayron Robles comes from an athletics background. His uncle, Eulogio Robles, was a member of the Cuba national team in the 1970s and ran 51.76 for the 400m hurdles. Also involved in sports was his mother, Regla Mercy, a housewife, who played volleyball. His father Gualberto, who passed away in 1998, was a musician and he and a cousin, Henry Murray, who died in 2006, are the main motivation for him every time he steps on a track. Robles took up athletics at the age of 10 and, as is usual in Cuba, he competed in various disciplines. Trainers had realised his potential for the hurdles, but he preferred the high jump, and did not start to focus on the hurdles until the age of 14, making great progress since.

After winning at the National Youth Games, Robles was promoted to the national junior team in 2002. He made his international debut when he was sixth at the 2003 World Youth Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada. He kept improving and gave Cuba its only medal at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Grosseto, Italy, where he finished second in the 110m hurdles. Robles finished his junior career on a high note in 2005, breaking the 33-year old Central American and Caribbean junior record twice as he ran 13.47 and 13.46, the latter to win the Pan American junior title in Windsor, Canada. Earlier that month he had been runner-up to his countryman, Yoel Hernandez, at the CAC Senior Championships, in Nassau, and later reached the semi-finals at the IAAF World Championships, in Helsinki. 2006 saw his consecration on the international scene, and his start as a senior could not have been better. With no previous indoor experience, he claimed the silver medal at the World Indoor Championships, in Moscow.

He went on to win his first national senior title at the 3rd National Olympics and improved his personal best to 13.32 in Havana before starting his European tour, where he burst into the elite in his event. After three wins in Spain (13.28 in Alcalá de Henares), he posted a surprising 13.11 to finish second in Paris on his Golden League debut, ahead of France’s world champion Ladji Doucouré and China’s Olympic gold medallist Liu Xiang. He ran even faster with 13.04 to finish fourth in the historic Lausanne race on July 11, in which Liu Xiang broke the world record. “I did not have a good start in that race, but the day was magic,” Robles said. “Everyone ran so fast. I am young and I already reached the elite level. Now I have to stay there”. Robles confirmed his new standing with a 13.08 win at the IAAF Grand Prix, in Madrid, before heading back to the other side of the Atlantic.

There he clinched his first international senior title when winning at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Cartagena, Colombia, clocking 13.12 to break the Games record (13.27) of his countryman and 2000 Olympic champion, Anier Garcia. With eight races this year clocking 13.20 or faster, Robles propelled himself from the 28th at the start of the season to the first place in the IAAF World Rankings for his event on 11 September 2006. Just a week before the World Cup, Robles equaled Garcia’s national record of 13.00 to finish second to Liu Xiang at the World Athletics Final, in Stuttgart, becoming the 13th fastest hurdler in history. “I came to Stuttgart to do my best and I did,” Robles said. “If I had not hit the last hurdle, I could have dipped under 13 seconds. I will achieve that. It is just a matter of time.” Being the youngest member of the Americas team for the World Cup, he ended his season on a high note with third place in Athens.

In 2007, Robles confirmed his progress and posted the fastest time over 60m hurdles in three years (7.38), just 0.01 short of Garcia’s CAC indoor record. Outdoors, he achieved his first Golden League win, in Paris, and went on to claim the Pan American gold, in Rio de Janeiro, the second senior title in his short but already successful career. “It felt great to make my contribution to my country as we finished on top in the athletics competition and second in the overall medal table, behind the US and closely followed by Brazil“. The 20-year old also extended the winning streak of Cuban male sprint hurdlers at the Pan American Games as his compatriots, Garcia and Yuniel Hernandez, won in Winnipeg (1999) and Santo Domingo (2003). After a successful campaign, Robles could not live up to expectations as he finished fourth at the World Championships, in Osaka.

But he made up for the disappointment with the best race of his life, once again in Stuttgart, blazing to a superb 12.92 win at the World Athletics Final and erasing his compatriot and 2000 Olympic champion Anier Garcia’s seven-year old CAC record of 13.00. He ended his season with a convincing win over world and Olympic champion and world record holder Liu Xiang in the latter’s home town of Shanghai. Indoors in 2008, Robles has been dominant over the barriers. Having clocked eight of the 10 fastest times this winter, he first broke the CAC record in Stuttgart on February 2, before improving it to 7.33, the second fastest of all-time, six days later in Düsseldorf. That time is just 0.03 seconds off Colin Jackson’s world record of 7.30, which the Briton set in 1994. After such a superb campaign, he looks forward to winning his first global title at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia. Two weeks before the championships, he visited the southern Spanish city. “I wanted to know the track first-hand before the event,” Robles said.

“Obviously, after my runner-up place at the Moscow World Indoors two years ago my only target is the gold medal. I won’t be satisfied other than that. The title is more important than the world record which I feel capable of breaking.” Robles also commented about China’s reigning Olympic and World 110m hurdles champion Liu Xiang. “I only know that he’s competing in Valencia which means more rivalry and that’s good for me, no problem,” the Cuban said. “But I train every day to become the best athlete in the world so I don’t fear anyone, including Xiang.” He considers Santiago Antúnez, his coach, as a father and his teammates in the athletics squad are like brothers. “Anier Garcia is like a school for me,” Robles said. “He has been my reference since I got to the national team. I admire him both as an athlete as a person. We are good friends. Yoel and Yuniel Hernandez have also maintained Cuban hurdling on top.

We are heirs of a successful tradition, coming from the times of Alejandro Casañas, Emilio Valle, Erick Batte and before.” One of his best friends in the team is 2007 triple jump world champion Yargelis Savigne. They both come from the same roots in the easternmost province of Guantanamo. Off the track, Robles loves to party, listen to music and dance. He has a special preference for reggae and rap. After taking a physical conditioning course, he started his sport and physical education studies at the Manuel Fajardo University of Sports and Physical Education. Personal Bests 110m hurdles: 12.92 (2006), 60m hurdles: 7.33 (2008) Yearly Progression 2002 - 15.01; 2003 - 14.28; 2004 - 13.75; 2005 - 13.46; 2006 - 13.00; 2007 - 12.92.

Indoors 2006 - 7.46; 2007 - 7.38; 2008 - 7.33 Career Highlights 2003 6th World Youth Championships 2004 2nd World Junior Championships 2005 2nd Central American and Caribbean Championships 2005 1st Pan American Junior Championships 2006 2nd World Indoor Championships 2006 1st Central American and Caribbean Games 2006 2nd World Athletics Final 2006 3rd World Cup 2007 1st Pan American Games 2007 4th World Championships Cuban star hurdler Robles to arrive in Beijing in a week_sports_English_SINA.com Cuban star hurdler Robles to arrive in Beijing in a week 2008-07-29 11:33:48 GMT 2008-07-29 19:33:48 (Beijing Time) Xinhua English BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Cuba's Dayron Rob

les, No.

1 threat to Chinese hero Liu Xiang in his defence of men's 110 meters hurdles Olympic champion, is said to arrive here in a week to make his Olympic debut. Busy running for several Grand Prix meets in Europe, Robles, who just broke Liu's world record by 12.87 seconds, did not come with the first Cuban Olympians who flied to Beijing on Sunday. A Cuban track and field coach said here Tuesday that the new favorite sprint hurdler will catch up with his teammates in a week, directly from Europe. Claiming that the Beijing Olympics is his main goal this year, Robles would have enough time to adjust himself to the Beijing Standard Time, eight hours ahead of GMT, as well as the hot and humid weather, before the men's 110 meters hurdle heats scheduled on August 18. Robles lately seemed more formidable to Liu, China's favorite hurdler whose world record of 12.88 seconds was stripped off by Robles in June by one hundredth second. The 21-year-old Cuban clocked 12.88 and 12.91 seconds in the past two weeks successively in Paris, France, and Stockholm, Sweden.

"I've never been to the Olympics, everything we do is focused on Beijing," Robles said after he broke Liu's record. Although a new hero prided by Cubans, Robles was known to stay with the rest Cuban Olympians in the official athletes' residence compounds. Members of the Cuban athletics squad, including a female hurdler, started their training on Tuesday in the Chaoyang Sports Center in east suburban Beijing. More than 60 athletes from Cuba, Guam and Pueto Rico have used the track and field training facilities. Some particularly chose to train during night when most Olympic athletics finals are organized.

Question: Dayron Robles of Cuba broke which athletic world record in 2008?
Answer: 110m Hurdles